"Brand new homes being built"

Byberry is a neighborhood located in the farthest Northeast corner of Philadelphia. It is situated on the east and northeast by Poquessing Creek and Bucks County, on the northwest by Montgomery County and on the west and southwest by the Township of Moreland. It covers about five miles in length and 2.5 miles in area and was named after Bristol, England.
The neighborhood has a strong abolitionist population and was once an original stop on the Underground Railroad. Though most of the area is gentrifying, it has a strong blue collar ethos that shows in the tight knit relationships between neighbors. It is populated by a lot of working class families who live in either single or double-family homes that are set off the road.
One of the most famous spots in Byberry is the former Philadelphia State Hospital, a mental institution located along Roosevelt Boulevard that was shut down in 1990. The abandoned property is a target for vandals and the center of numerous urban legends and ghost stories. In 2006, the township decided to turn the old hospital into the Arbors at Eagle Point which will consist of 296 residential units in the form of single family homes, condos and town houses.

"Haunted by its past"

Usually when someone says “Byberry” the first thing many people think of is the mental institution, Philadelphia State Hospital which was located on Roosevelt Boulevard. The institution closed its doors in 1990 but the building remained of interest to ghost hunters, vandals and kids trying to creep themselves out.

It’s kind of hard to look past the mental institution as it has been such a huge part of the Northeast neighborhood’s history. There are many websites and books dedicated to telling its dark history. But the Byberry neighborhood is making attempts to get away from that gloomy past. In 2006 demolition of the building began in order to make room for new luxury apartments and a senior center living community.

These renovations are an attempt to improve the neighborhood and increase property value for the neighborhood. The efforts are definitely paying off, Byberry is pretty expensive working class neighborhood to live in and it is considered relatively safe with a low crime rate.

However, no matter what is done to gentrify the neighborhood there is no way Byberry is going to get away from its mental institution past and people who are intrigued by that history will continue to visit the area based on that.

"Making changes - but the urban legends live on."

Located in the uppermost part of Northeast Philadelphia, Byberry is a neighborhood situated between Bucks and Montgomery Counties. This Philadelphia neighborhood is most well known for being the location of Philadelphia State Hospital, a former mental institution. Aside from the negative connotation that this gives the community, it is actually a safe and pleasant working class neighborhood.

The infamous Philadelphia State Hospital was located off of Roosevelt Boulevard, and shut down in 1990. The abandoned mental institution became a breeding ground for vandalism, rumors and an unsafe environment. Eventually the building was torn down, and the lot of over 100 acres became the location of modern townhouses, condos and commercial buildings. Regardless, many urban legends about the hospital live on, and the community has had trouble shedding the dark stories surrounding it.

Despite the legends, the area is well developed, and becoming more and more gentrified. Even though the cost of living is rising, there is a strong working class presence and pride in the community, as demonstrated by active residential associations and groups.

Benjamin Rush State Park offers abundant green space to residents. However, there is not a lot of other development, so nightlife is limited. The area is also very far from Center City. Public transportation is not conveniently located, so most residents have at least one car.

Overall, Byberry is becoming a desirable place to live, if you can get past the uncertainties instilled by the rumor mill.